SCHOOLS GET HEALTH AWARD

County gives honor to Chula Vista district for wellness efforts

CHULA VISTA 
The Chula Elementary School District has been named the first Live Well, San Diego! school district in the county in recognition of its commitment to improve the health and well being of its students. The County Health and Human Services Agency bestowed the award upon the district last week at the monthly school board meeting.

“This district is a role model for school health and wellness, both locally and nationally,” county Supervisor Greg Cox said during the award presentation.

In 2005, the school district implemented the Healthy Eating Active Communities initiative to reduce childhood obesity. In 2010 and 2012, it conducted a pioneering survey to measure the height and weight of every preschool through sixth grade student in the district.

The sobering data in 2010 revealed that nearly 40 percent of the student body was overweight or obese. In 2012, data showed that obesity rates had declined 3.2 percent compared to the first survey, the result of a revised wellness policy that included eliminating flavored milk in school cafeterias and banning celebrations with food in the classroom.

The county of San Diego launched Live Well, San Diego! in 2010. One of the goals of the 10-year initiative is to work with school districts to promote healthy lifestyles for the students and families they serve.

“Schools are the one place where there is an intersection of children, youth, families, communities and businesses,” said Nick Macchione, director of the health agency. “Chula Vista Elementary School District’s adoption of the Live Well, San Diego! initiative will result in more opportunities to work together in support of the health and well-being of the students and their families.”

Chula Vista Elementary School District is the largest elementary school district in California with 44 schools and about 28,500 students. Last April, the district was awarded the San Diego County Public Health Champion Award for the South Region.